After weeks (maybe months) of preparation (much more than I ever anticipated), I'm finally ready, willing and able to announce the newest endeavor I've undertaken — TasteCamp EAST 2009, a wine blogger event that will bring more than a dozen wine bloggers to Long Island wine country May 1-3 this spring. The concept for TasteCamp is a simple one: getting enthusiastic bloggers together in a region that is new to them to taste as much wine as possible and speak to as many winemakers as possible over the course of a weekend. Most smaller, lesser-known wine regions in the world…
Posts Tagged“long island”
Castello di Borghese 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Estate
It seems that just about everyone interested in Long Island wine knows Castello di Borghese, located on Route 48 in Cutchogue. You see, before the property was bought by Marco Borghese (an Italian prince) it was Hargrave Vineyard, where Alex and Louisa Hargrave founded the Long Island wine world back in 1973. If you're visiting Long Island wine country, you really should stop by Borghese to get a taste of that history. Focus on the pinot noir and cabernet franc when you're there. This Castello di Borghese 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Estate ($20) is a pale straw-yellow in the glass and…
Wolffer Estate 2005 Estate Selection Chardonnay
Roman Roth, winemaker at Wolffer Estate (along with Roanoke Vineyards and his own label, Grapes of Roth) makes some of my favorite Long Island chardonnay. His Wolffer Estate 2003 Estate Selection is one of my all-time favorites. Though a bit less refined than the stellar 2003 bottling, the current release — Wolffer Estate’s 2005 Estate Selection Chardonnay ($29) is still a fine example of barrel fermented chardonnay. Extremely toasty on the nose, oak and vanilla scents dominate with juicy-ripe pear aromas peeking through. Medium-to-full bodied with extremely lively acidity, the palate shows rich peach and pear fruit character with butterscotch,…
Wolffer Estate 2006 Reserve Merlot
When I sit down to one of the Sunday morning wine tastings I conduct here on our dining room table, I never quite know what I’m going to get. I taste wine from every corner of New York State and, frankly, sometimes it can be an extreme sport. There is a lot of bad wine being made in New York, people. There. I said it. That’s one reason I appreciate Wolffer Estate so much. 99% of the time, I know what I’m going to get — elegance, balance and quality. This Wolfer Estate 2006 Reserve Merlot ($20) is a fine…
Channing Daughters Winery 2006 Envelope
Earlier this week I mentioned Channing Daughters Winery's winemaker, Chris Tracy, his focus on traditional methods and the parallels he draws between Long Island and Friuli. Well, here is yet a wine that proves those points. Channing Daughters Winery's 2006 Envelope is a blend of 70% chardonnay and 30% Gewurztraminer. That may not seem all that interesting, but wait. Inspired by the “Vino da Meditazione” wines produced in the Friuli region of Northeast Italy, the fruit that went into this wine was hand-harvested, de-stemmed and fermented on their skins in an open top fermenter. Basically, its a white wine that…
Wolffer Estate 2006 Pinot Noir
Roman Roth, winemaker at Wolffer Estate is perhaps best known for the wines he crafts from merlot, including the $125 Wolffer Estate Premier Cru and the wines he makes under his own label, Grapes of Roth. I've also lauded Roman fort he great things he does with the chardonnay grape. But, as much as I enjoy those wines, I think some of the other wines he makes are under-appreciated, including this Wolffer Estate 2006 Pinot Noir ($35). As we all know, pinot noir can be difficult both in the vineyard and in the cellar. They don't call it the ‘heartbreak…
Channing Daughters Winery 2007 Mosaico
When people not familiar with Long Island wine ask me to name my favorite winemaker or winemakers, Chris Tracy from Channing Daughters Winery always makes the list. In a wine community stridently devoted to making fine wine from Bordeaux varieties, he takes his cues from northern Italy. Many consider him an extremely creative winemaker, but what looks like creativity is really just a focus on and devotion traditional methods. That doesn't mean he's not creative though, as this blend shows. Channing Daughters Winery's 2007 Mosaico ($29) is a field blend of 32% pinot grigio, 29% chardonnay, 14% sauvignon blanc, 12%…
The Moment When a Finger Lakes Wine Lover Was Sold on Long Island
From left to right: Katie Feulner, Jason Feulner, Lenn Thompson, Nena Thompson, Evan Dawson, Morgan Dawson, Melissa Dobson, Rich Dobson By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Correspondent Everyone who loves wine has a memory that stands out with perfect clarity thanks to a single bottle of wine. We remember the meal, the lighting in the room, the conversations shared over the bottle. This is the power of wine. It is far more than a beverage. If we are fortunate, we have not one special wine memory, but many. I will never forget the moment I drank the first sip of Rosso del…
Waters Crest Winery 2006 Private Reserve Cabernet Franc
Home-turned-professional winemaker Jim Waters owns one of Long Island's smallest wineries — it's the storage/bay area behind his tasting room in a small industrial strip mall in Cutchogue. Jim, through his wines and through his personality, helps his small winery stand next to the big boys of Long Island wine. 2006 was a so-so year for most growers, but this Waters Crest Winery 2006 Private Reserve Cabernet Franc ($35) doesn't show any of the barely or underripe flavors some 2006s I've tasted present. 16 months aging in new French oak probably helps in that regard. Dark crimson red in the…
Martha Clara Vineyards 2007 “Five-O” White
Continuing with the white blend theme from yesterday, today's review is for Martha Clara Vineyards' 2007 Five-O White ($18), yet another wine that displays the potential of these wines for Long island. Winemaker Juan Micieli-Martinez used a bit of every white grape MCV grows for this blend, which is 32% sauvignon blanc, 25% viognier, 15% chardonnay, 10% semillon, 8% riesling, 7% pinot grigio and 3% Gewurztraminer. It might sound like a 'kitchen sink' wine, but don't be fooled. Each grape brings something unique to the table and the result is delicous. The nose is aromatic and somewhat riesling-like with scents…